Category: TV

Daredevil Born Again Muse Mural 01

Daredevil: Born Again, “Sic Semper Systema” Review

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

Daredevil: Born Again released another episode last night, “Sic Semper Systema,” and Geekly’s here to share their thoughts. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Daredevil: Born Again approaches its season finale (or at least the cliffhanger before its break for the second half of the season), and the show manages to turn up the heat.

With four episodes in, Daredevil: Born Again proves it can build off the previous show’s success. The new series works best when it centers on Murdock and Fisk. With a few exceptions, the best moments are rooted in characters who originate from the original Netflix series. Wilson and Vanessa scenes have me hooked. I feared for Vanessa’s well-being whenever she and Wilson discussed her infidelity. That mistrust is rewarded in “Sic Semper Systema’s” closing. I won’t spoil it here, but there’s a great payoff.

Is it me or does Matt Murdock’s love interest Heather Glenn work better as the Fisk’s therapist than she does Daredevil’s lover? I love Margarita Levieva’s performance with the Fisks. I don’t know if Daredevil: Born Again has done enough to establish her as Murdock’s significant other. And I think that’s an issue with the new series. Again, four episodes in, and patterns emerge. Daredevil: Born Again had to rid itself of Karen Page and Foggy Nelson because they knew Murdock’s secret identity and would eventually support his vigilante work. Heck. Karen suggests that Matt don the cowl in the first episode. The new series wanted Murdock to fight returning as Daredevil. But it hasn’t done enough to build the new recurring characters in Murdock’s life. There are some exceptions.

As I said, I do like Heather as the Wilson’s therapist. Mayor Fisk’s advisors Daniel and Sheila are fantastic. “Sic Semper Systema” shows Kingpin’s former “business” peeking through his day-to-day as mayor. You know how the old Fisk would’ve handled Daniel’s mistake. Daredevil: Born Again does a great job of building this tension. And then throwing in a dark comedic moment. After Mayor Fisk says he won’t fire Daniel for his incompetence and Daniel insists that he’ll never be able to make amends, Sheila tells Daniel, that’s nice, now shut up. She put her job on the line for him and I saw in Sheila’s reaction to Fisk and Daniel’s “talk” that she feared for her and Daniel’s lives. Zabryna Guevara (Sheila) and Michael Gandolfini (Daniel) give great performances.

I also enjoyed one of “Sic Semper Systema’s” one-off characters. Charlie Hudson III’s Leroy Bradford works to show Murdock as a lawyer and the corruption of the legal system. Hudson is only on-screen for around ten minutes, but these moments are powerful.

Hamish Allan-Headley’s Officer Powell has been a standout for this young series. The scenes that include Officer Powell illustrate NYPD’s corruption. Powell serves as a great foil. He doesn’t factor into White Tiger’s murder (that we know of), but someone with connections to the NYPD is behind White Tiger’s death. Evidently, The Punisher has fans within the NYPD. The scene where Matt finds the casing from the bullet used to murder White Tiger is pitch-perfect. I don’t want to spoil it here, but moments like this hint at Murdock’s return as Daredevil. Sure, we physically see Murdock practice martial arts toward the end of “Sic Semper Systema,” but his investigative skills impressed.

Daredevil: Born Again handled The Punisher’s inclusion well. As I suspected, he wasn’t behind White Tiger’s murder. I’m glad he doesn’t steal too much screen time, and Frank Castle pushes Murdock’s buttons. Again, I’ll try not to spoil the scene, but The Punisher gives Murdock the push he needs to dust off his Daredevil attire. Jon Bernthal is a fan favorite for good reason. He embodies The Punisher. Daredevil: Born Again does a great job of hinting that The Punisher continues to fight the good fight. I can’t wait to see him in a future series.

And that brings us to this season’s main villain Muse. Our featured image above is one of Muse’s murals. You can see his name at the bottom right. I may be heading into mild spoiler territory here. Beware. We don’t see much of Muse. Daredevil: Born Again is holding him back for the final two episodes before it goes on break, and that’s a good choice.

In the comics, Muse is active while Wilson Fisk is mayor (Daredevil comics, circa 2016). He paints his murals with human blood, so the red “paint” above (and in this week’s featured image) derives from the blood of his victims. Also in the comics, Muse had superpowers like heightened strength and increased reflexes. He’s an inhuman and also targeted other inhumans. This could be a way to tie Muse (and Daredevil) into the greater MCU and potentially reintroduce the Inhumans. I wouldn’t be surprised if Muse was a standard-issue human, but I’d be a little disappointed if he didn’t have the last and most significant of his superpowers: imperceptibility.

People don’t notice Muse is around because his body is a sensory void. This ability also works on Daredevil. Daredevil: Born Again mentions Spider-Man repeatedly and one of Spidey’s greatest enemies is Venom. Low key, Venom’s best ability is that he doesn’t trigger Peter Parker’s spider-sense. Muse plays a similar role to Daredevil, and the series (specifically the scene when Matt does detective work) is building up to a reveal that no one can sense Muse.

“Sic Semper Systema” generates a lot of speculation. That’s a great thing for Daredevil: Born Again. The series had a rocky start, but there’s hope for a strong cliffhanger next week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

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Harley Quinn: “Bottle Episode (But Not a ‘Bottle Episode’)” Review

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Season’s Thoughts

We’ve got some characters rounded up in this week’s episode of Harley Quinn. Well, they’re all fun-sized, but they’re getting stuff done. Sort of.

There were a few jokes tossed here and there, but “Bottle Episode (But Not a ‘Bottle Episode’)” had a darker tone in comparison to previous episodes of season five of Harley Quinn. This tone was consistent throughout “Bottle Episode (But Not a ‘Bottle Episode,’)” which I appreciated since we’re ramping up for the season finale.

Since we’ve got one more episode to go in season five of Harley Quinn, I had a feeling Lex wouldn’t be the key to taking down Lena this episode. Their reunion was cute. Harley’s therapist powers working against her made for an interesting watch. Ivy cheerleading Harley during the therapy session was hilarious.

I didn’t think it was possible, but Joker’s romantic relationship is more stable than Bruce Wayne’s or Lois Lane’s. That entire scene with them interacting with one another about relationships was the funniest part of the episode.

The goofiness of “Bottle Episode (But Not a ‘Bottle Episode’)” aside, I have a feeling Frankette is going to be one of the keys to busting Harley and company out of the bottle. Like, she’ll smash it or something and de-shrink everyone (with or without Superman) and they take out the Luthors. I hope I’m not hitting the nail on the head because unpredictability makes Harley Quinn fun to watch.

Kyra’s Take

While it is difficult to write repeatedly, “Bottle Episode (But Not a ‘Bottle Episode’s’)” title is accurate and funny. At the end of this episode, Harley Quinn teases Superman. I expected him to make another appearance, and that’s a strength of the show. Viewers can predict who will get involved in Harley’s shenanigans, but they won’t be able to guess how they’ll be involved.

Harley Quinn loves meeting the audience’s expectations and then subverting those expectations. We anticipated Dick Grayson’s return, but not as Red X, and we couldn’t guess Alfred attempting to murder him. We anticipated Lex Luthor’s return, and Harley Quinn set him up as another Lena antagonist only to have him join forces with her, which makes sense for his character (he tried to rule the world in a previous season) and subverts how Harley and Ivy think the solution will go. Superman will return, but we have no idea what he’s done during his absence from Metropolis. We have no idea of his mental state.

I expect Frankette to be involved with Harley and Ivy escaping, but Harley Quinn will choose a wild–possibly disgusting way–for her to get involved. My money is on Frankette using her father’s “special rag” and ejaculating for the first time, producing plant material in the alien ship that Ivy can then manipulate. Before Ivy frees herself, she’ll get choked up while watching Frankette do the deed and say something like “Just like her dad.” Gross.

Too gross! Ugh! Forget what I said. Frankette goes into the Green and contacts Swamp Thing.

I also liked the interactions with Bruce Wayne, Lois Lane, and the Joker. Bruce couldn’t help but take a jab at the Joker’s daughter, who interns at Wayne Enterprises. Her tech short-circuited all electronics, not just Brainiac’s cloaking device. I love how Harley Quinn ties up a story thread. Joker spent the entire episode trying to get Bruce to finalize his daughter’s internship paperwork. Few elements get wasted.

I expect a few callbacks in the season finale next week. Hopefully, they won’t be as deep of a cut as Harley’s dad from the week prior. Does anyone know what Doctor Psycho or Riddler are up to? Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

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Daredevil: Born Again, “The Hollow of His Hand” Review

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

Daredevil: Born Again continues this week with a single episode, “The Hollow of His Hand.” The show focuses on the courtroom drama surrounding the White Tiger. While I think this is a good choice, the pacing for a storyline like this would play out better for a full 13-episode season (like the previous Daredevil series) instead of the 9-episode season, split in two, that Daredevil: Born Again has scheduled. Daredevil: Born Again is fated for getting rushed.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. I’ve had more time to digest Daredevil: Born Again’s first two episodes from last week, and they leave me wanting. Everything felt rushed. And while I understand that Daredevil: Born Again wants to get Matt Murdock into his Daredevil suit as soon as possible because the show only has three episodes remaining before it goes on hiatus, I can’t help but think that the original show would’ve taken its time and not rush through White Tiger’s trial. The showrunners must not be used to shorter seasons.

What remains does a good job of pitting Matt Murdock against Kingpin from an ideological standpoint. The sparing between Murdock proving vigilantes as necessary (even helping police) and Kingpin’s decree to the media that vigilantes operate outside and above the law works. The lack of scenes with White Tiger doesn’t work as well. Through witnessing on the stand, the life of White Tiger is told. We don’t see White Tiger in action. We don’t even see how his magical amulet works. I’m reminded of the writing adage: show don’t tell. Daredevil: Born Again does a lot of telling because they don’t have time or money.

Daredevil: Born Again marks the first Disney+ Marvel series when the production attempts to cut costs. I hope that scenes with White Tiger weren’t cut for time or budget. Puerto Rican actor Kamar de los Reyes who portrays White Tiger passed away from cancer on Christmas Eve 2023. He delivers a fantastic performance.

We get into spoiler territory here. You’ve been warned. After a short trial sequence, White Tiger gets gunned down days later by someone who may be The Punisher. I don’t know if the could be Punisher works for Fisk. The sequence where White Tiger dies occurs during a voiceover with Wilson Fisk, explaining how vigilantes should not exist. In the comics, the Punisher began as a mercenary for hire. It would make sense if he was behind White Tiger’s death, but Fisk has been distancing himself from crime as much as Murdock distances himself from crimefighting. The Punisher could also be exacting vigilante revenge against a vigilante for (accidentally) killing a crooked cop. That’d be an interesting twist.

End of spoilers.

Despite the swiftness of these events, Daredevil: Born Again does a great job of honoring White Tiger’s death. Like Foggy’s death in episode one, White Tiger’s death is sudden. But the twist of who may have killed him leaves the episode on a cliffhanger, and “The Hollow of His Hand” ends with a quiet moment. The only sound the audience hears is the coquis (a small frog native to Puerto Rico) whistling against the surf.

White Tiger had shared with Murdock that he only felt at peace when he sat on a bench by the ocean and could hear the coquis. This moment was well done. It’s a wonderful tribute to Kamar de los Reyes.

I want more moments like this one. The previous series would sprinkle in heart-felt beats in between the action. I have hope for the remainder of Daredevil: Born Again’s initial six episodes, but I’ve heard that Muse could become a main antagonist. How does Daredevil: Born Again hope to juggle the introduction of the Punisher, Muse, and the inevitable Kingpin showdown? Muse could’ve disguised themselves while they killed White Tiger. We’ll have to see. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

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Harley Quinn: “Family Feud” Review

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Kyra’s Thoughts

Harley Quinn races toward its season finale with its latest episode “Family Feud.” Offline, Season mentioned that Harley and Ivy made up too quickly for her liking. I agreed but then I looked up Harley Quinn’s remaining episodes. “Family Feud” is the eighth of ten scheduled episodes for this season. We only have two episodes remaining. What? While I would’ve liked to have seen the tension between Harley and Ivy last another episode, there aren’t that many episodes remaining. Harley Quinn needed to set up the final stakes in this episode, hint at how the gang plans to overcome the stakes, and then spend another episode assembling the supporting cast (King Shark, Clayface, Bane, and Lex Luthor) so they’re ready to enter the fray before launching into the season finale.

Yes! We have a Lex Luthor sighting. It’s always fun when Giancarlo Esposito joins the cast. He didn’t have much to do in “Family Feud” because the gals broke him out of jail, and he was incapacitated in a patented way only Harley Quinn could pull off. Harley’s mom runs him over with Harley’s car.

Harley’s family is where the episode’s title “Family Feud” derives. Truth time. I forgot about Harley’s piece of crap father until he showed up in this episode. It took me a while to remember Harley’s past with him (we haven’t seen him since season 1–four seasons ago), but Harley’s family past came screaming back as soon as Mr. Quinzel double-crossed Harley for money. That rang a bell. Nick Quinzel dies for real in this episode, and Harley doesn’t get the closure she wants.

Meanwhile, Ivy sneaks into Lena’s apartment to figure out a way to infiltrate Brainiac’s lair and free Frankette. I never thought that Harley and Ivy would stay at odds for long, but “Family Feud” may have been better served if the exploits of Harley and Ivy were reversed. I may have believed Ivy forgiving Harley as quickly as she did if she had to deal with Floronic Man or someone else from her past and learn the lesson that Harley did during this episode about being there for someone you love even after they screw up. Heck. Being there for someone after they screw up may be the most important time for someone to show their love. This was a missed opportunity.

This small gripe doesn’t detract from an otherwise fun episode. “Family Feud” balances its three threads well (Harley and her family, Ivy infiltrating Lena’s apartment, and Lena’s master plan) and the episode sets up Harley Quinn for what should be a hilarious season finale.

Season’s Thoughts

The pacing of Harley and Ivy patching things up was too fast for my liking. It shouldn’t have been set up if it was going to be a rush job. I get that relationship drama pulls in an audience, but they didn’t give themselves the space to work with it. I agree with Kyra that this small thing doesn’t detract from the rest of the setup “Family Feud” provides for the season finale.

Even though I also forgot about Nick Quinzel, I enjoyed the moments between him and Harley, even though they hated each other. I think Harley and Ivy grow more as characters when they’re apart than when they’re together. Sure. Their relationship with one another and how they love each other matures throughout the series. But they tend to face their pasts alone and then confide in one another after the fact. Harley did help Ivy with Floronic Man, but Ivy tried to deal with him herself first. I think Harley Quinn does a good job of showing Harley and Ivy as individuals, and I definitely got that from “Family Feud.”

I found it amusing that Lena didn’t have any plans to harm Frankette. She waved her hand and was like, “Get out of here.” This makes me wonder if Frankette will pull off some inside work for the season finale and save Metropolis. That would be a fun twist.

Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

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Daredevil: Born Again, “Optics”

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

Daredevil: Born Again blessed us with two episodes on opening night. We covered the first episode “Heaven’s Half Hour” in our previous post. In this post, we’ll share our thoughts about Daredevil: Born Again’s second episode “Optics.”

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. I spoke at length about my thoughts on Matt Murdock’s character journey and the camera work in our previous post. If you missed our review of Daredevil: Born Again’s first episode “Heaven’s Half Hour,” here’s a link to that post. Daredevil: Born Again’s first two episodes debuted at the same time. I’ll try to touch on things I didn’t mention in our previous post in this one. Let’s get started with Kingpin’s wife Vanessa.

I should’ve mentioned Vanessa and the fact that Kingpin became mayor of New York City in the previous post. Yikes! Those are some big omissions, but I will say that “Optics” builds on those two points more than “Heaven’s Half Hour.” Again, I’ll preface this section with a spoiler warning. At first, it looked as if Daredevil: Born Again planned for Vanessa to exit the show. Kingpin finds out that she’s cheating on him, and she begs him not to kill her lover. It doesn’t surprise me that Kingpin agrees. This shows that he loves her. I’m also not that surprised that Vanessa cheats on Kingpin. He’s been away, and she’s been left to her own devices. Like most things, “Heaven’s Half Hour” rushes these devolopments.

“Optics” takes a breath. The audience has time to absorb that Kingpin not only ran for mayor of New York City, but the city elected him mayor. We watch as Kingpin settles in as a politician. Pawns like the police commissioner, news outlets, and Fisk’s cabinet take shape. Honestly, the pacing of “Optics” reminds me a lot of the original series. We even have a chance to find more out about Matt Murdock’s supporting cast.

Truth time. I forgot the investigator who works with Murdock was the same former cop who learned Murdock’s identity as Daredevil during his rooftop fight with Bullseye. It took me his second scene as Murdock’s investigator for me to put those two things together. “Heaven’s Half Hour” flew by so fast. We needed a slower-paced episode like “Optics.”

This episode does a great job of weaving Murdock’s and Fisk’s new personal lives. “Optics” presents a lot of future tension that could bear fruit as the season progresses. Fisk functions like a man of the people mayor. This is a facade. He and Vanessa enter couples counseling. This serves double duty but in a good way. Kingpin needs to show his voters that he and his wife are on good terms. Does he go to counseling because he wants to save his marriage or is it “Optics?” Does Fisk want to rehabilitate his reputation and serve as an honest mayor and he kept his distance from Vanessa because she’s running his criminal empire? “Optics” presents a lot of interesting questions.

The episode’s title works for Murdock as well. He encounters White Tiger, another vigilante. His investigator friend warns him about stepping into the life of Daredevil. White Tiger’s case also seems unwinnable. Is Murdock taking on the case because White Tiger reminds him of Daredevil? Daredevil: Born Again skates lightly over White Tiger’s abilities. He doesn’t don his outfit when he helps a helpless person from a set of crooked cops. White Tiger’s inclusion is to set up an interesting court drama that should parallel Kingpin’s desire to rid New York of all its vigilantes. That’s not at all self-serving. Wink.

Murdock tries to be a lawyer and only a lawyer. This plays as his way of honoring Foggy’s death. But “Optics” ends with Murdock getting jumped by another set of crooked cops. Reluctantly, Matt fights back and we’re left with a classic Daredevil fight scene (close quarters and in your face), albeit one with Matt dressed in a suit and tie. It shouldn’t be long before we see Daredevil’s rebirth.

I mentioned this in the previous post, but the combination of watching “Heaven’s Half Hour” and “Optics” made the Daredevil: Born Again premiere a success. I commend Marvel’s foresight for releasing the first two episodes on the same night. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

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Daredevil: Born Again, Heaven’s Half Hour

Published on by Kyra1 Comment

Daredevil: Born Again is one of Geekly’s most anticipated Marvel releases this year. Heck. Most people couldn’t wait for season one of Daredevil: Born Again to release. I’ve even said that Daredevil: Born Again must succeed. So, how did the show measure up to this anticip-ation?

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. I’m a little late with Geekly’s review of Daredevil: Born Again’s first two episodes but that’s because the first two episodes didn’t hit as well at first for me as it has with most people. Daredevil: Born Again’s first two episodes rate highly on Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB, and several other media outlets, so I’m in the minority. I watched these two episodes twice to find out why they didn’t land as well for me. I’ll start with the first episode, “Heaven’s Half Hour.” Hint: the second episode “Optics” showed promise and has me pumped for the third episode. Sigh of relief. Daredevil: Born Again is a great series.

But Daredevil: Born Again isn’t a great continuation of the original Netflix Daredevil. Full disclosure: after learning that Marvel wanted to continue where the original Daredevil left off, I watched the third season last week to prepare. Daredevil: Born Again doesn’t completely pick up where the previous show left off. It weaves in elements of the previous series. The two are different enough and Daredevil: Born Again takes some liberties.

I love that Marvel brought back Charlie Cox (Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Kingpin). Those two actors embody those two characters. I’m never going to say no to Cox and D’Onofrio in a Daredevil project. I also love that Daredevil: Born Again brings back most of the original cast, even if it’s for a moment. Daredevil: Born Again does a fine job of capturing the original show’s veneer.

I say veneer instead of aesthetic because the external look of Daredevil: Born Again matches the original series, but the finer points differ–at least for the first episode. Several things felt off, but the most jarring change comes from Daredevil: Born Again’s camera work. A vlogger reports on the state of New York City. While this does an adequate job of letting the audience know the passage of time and the state of the city, it feels more at home in a Spider-Man project. Honestly, I expected to see someone play an acoustic guitar and sing about Spider-Man.

The non-vlogging camera work on “Heaven’s Half Hour” has more zoomed-out scenes. It felt out-of-place. In particular, the fight scene between Daredevil and Dex (who finally wears Bullseye garb, even if it’s just his gloves) feels different because the audience gets a bird’s eye view of the fight. The original series prided itself on up close and personal fights. One could feel each punch and kick.

The real kicker was how Daredevil: Born Again treated the former show’s cast. We’re getting into spoiler territory here. You’ve been warned. Foggy’s death (in the first ten minutes) gave the scene weight. That’s good and in keeping with the original show. Daredevil never shied away from killing off popular characters. Dex needed to pay for his crimes and for killing Foggy. Daredevil: Born Again suggests why Dex changed targets from Karen to Foggy, but it felt rushed.

Daredevil’s third season shows Karen staying in New York despite how bad things got, with people she cared about dying around her, and at the risk of her life. Karen’s actions felt off. While I could buy her leaving the city over grief (this could echo her leaving her family) Karen’s absence played more like Daredevil: Born Again wanting to start a new law office for Matt Murdock by any means necessary. And again, this development felt rushed.

“Heaven’s Half Hour” bogs down because it pulls double duty. It sheds the previous Daredevil series while trying to set up a new series. Like I said, I wouldn’t watch the original series right before watching Daredevil: Born Again. It colored my enjoyment of the show. Daredevil: Born Again is excellent separated from the original series. It’s easily one of Marvel’s best.

That brings me back to more praise for Daredevil: Born Again. While at first jarring, the camera work is deliberate. “Heaven’s Half Hour” zooms out from the action to give the audience detachment. Sure, this marks the end of the original Daredevil and the beginning of a new show, but it also mirrors Matt Murdock’s mental and emotional state. He becomes detached. The audience won’t see those in-your-face fights until the end of the second episode “Optics.” Disney+ released the first two episodes on the same night because they wanted the audience to see Matt Murdock’s change.

If I had only seen “Heaven’s Half Hour” this week, I may have been disappointed. Watched together, the first two episodes make for an interesting character study for Matt Murdock, and that was a big strength of the original series. So, perhaps the two shows aren’t that far apart. Thank you for reading. We’ll be back in an hour or so with our take on Daredevil: Born Again’s second episode “Optics.”

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Harley Quinn: “Frankette” Review

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Season’s Thoughts

I’m going to preface “Frankette” by saying I was a bit shocked by the ending. Not entirely, but the buildup to Brainiac being the season finale villain was being hammered home so much that I wasn’t expecting him to fizzle out this episode.

I enjoyed the dynamic between Harley and Ivy this episode. We got to see a volatile argument play out due to extenuating circumstances. Both of them wanted to honor Frank in their own way and butted heads (to put it mildly). It was nice to take a break from the lovey-dovey stuff they’ve been doing in previous episodes. That said, I think Ivy’s normally the one who expresses extreme anger when she’s upset. Harley’s been more of the pushy one between the two of them. I think their fallout at the end of “Frankette” is reparable. If it isn’t, that’d make for an interesting story.

On to Frankette herself. Her birth was hilarious. Frank giving a sermon at his own funeral just so she could pop out of the soil over his grave was done in a way I’d only expect from Harley Quinn. I’m not entirely convinced Ivy genuinely cares for Frankette outside of Frank telling her to rescue Frankette. Their moment at the end of “Frankette” was heartwarming, but I think Ivy is still seeing Frank, despite her initial rejection of Frankette. I think she’s getting there, but “Frankette” happened over the course of a day.

I enjoy Lena being the main villain of Season 5. Her taking over Brainiac’s ship at the end of “Frankette” for her own best interest was very much in character. I’m excited to see where else Harley Quinn is going to take her.

Side note: Bane is the best babysitter.

Kyra’s Take

Season did a great job covering “Frankette’s” plot points, so I won’t get into too much detail. Harley Quinn has a knack for heel and face turns. These turns happen numerous times during a season, but the showrunners find ways to keep them fresh and unexpected.

Parenthood has been a not-so-hidden theme for Harley Quinn’s fifth season. The show took a detour a few weeks ago when it explored Bruce’s relationships with Dick Grayson and Damien and the Joker with his stepdaughter. Harley Quinn followed that episode with one of Brainiac’s family and loss. It was only a matter of time before Harley and Ivy would be thrust into parenthood. Heck. Harley babysat Shaun the Shark a few times before Frankette made her debut. Even Bane makes his return with his adopted daughter Goldilocks in this episode. Despite her shocking origin, Harley Quinn’s creative team built up Frankette. Those “detours” that I mentioned before weren’t detours at all.

Harley Quinn’s creators do a fabulous job of world and character-building. Lena stays true to herself. Perhaps, we should’ve seen that she would become Season 5’s main villain. But are we sure Harley Quinn doesn’t have another turn or two for the balance of power to shift again? A lot can happen in three Harley Quinn episodes. I could see another tectonic shift. Superman and Lois Lane are still in play. Harley and Ivy’s relationship is on the rocks again, and that tends to add a little spice.

Harley Quinn needed to inject some turmoil into Harley and Ivy’s relationship. I agree with Season that the fallout at the end of this episode should be reparable. Harley and Ivy working through their problems is a strength of this show. It shouldn’t be easy for the power to make amends. Only time will tell. My biggest gripe is that this season of Harley Quinn only has three more episodes.

Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

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Harley Quinn: “Big Pasta Dinner” Review

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Season’s Thoughts

Not going to lie. I have no idea where to start with “Big Pasta Dinner.” There were so many good moments and an even balance among the characters featured in this episode.

If I had to pick a focal point of this episode, I’d say Harley took the stage most of the time, but only by a small margin. The bat family definitely had more of the heartwarming moments. The Bruce Wayne/Joker heart-to-heart in the sauna was the most surprising. Definitely not something I’d expect in any other DC show. We got to experience Bruce grow as a person in real time. Well, save for his taste in girlfriends.

Shaun the Shark being featured in “Big Pasta Dinner” was a treat for me. Even though we’ve had a lack of King Shark in Season 5, Shaun’s shenanigans this episode helped lighten the heaviness of the bat family.

Speaking of shenanigans, Alfred turning on the bat family was a fun twist. It wasn’t out of left field for a show like Harley Quinn, but it also wasn’t something I was necessarily expecting, either. It was a bit off to me that Dick forgave Harley for killing him after she saved his life one time. Other than that, I enjoyed this episode.

Kyra’s Take

Agreed. Alfred exacting revenge on the bat family, and Bruce Wayne in particular, may seem odd in any other show based on DC Comics besides Harley Quinn. Bruce had it coming. This version of Bruce doesn’t even know Alfred’s surname. He calls him Alfred Butler. Butler? Try Pennyworth. It’s sad when Harley knows Alfred’s surname and Bruce doesn’t.

Like I said at the beginning of this season, the original Harley Quinn creative team has taken back the reigns in Season 5. They pivoted hard from the Gotham Sirens and let the Dick Grayson revenge thread slide for half a season. Dick returns in “Big Pasta Dinner,” and the show gives another nod to DC Comics history. Dick dons the Red X disguise, which is an alternate outfit he wore to get close to Deathstroke during a Teen Titans comics storyline. An excellent way to resolve the story that this creative team didn’t start in Season 4 and an amazing reference.

I agree with Season. We can use as much Shaun the Shark as possible; he is a treat. But Shaun became more than comic relief for the episode’s heavier moments. I also like how Harley Quinn worked Shaun’s penchant for destruction in her favor. This did a lot to merge the two disparate story threads.

I loved the Joker and Bruce as middle-aged dads thread. Season mentioned their heart-to-heart in the sauna. I have to agree that it was surprising. Joker giving Bruce parenting advice with his clown makeup running was hilarious and endearing. And Bruce’s son and Joker’s stepdaughter dating by the end of the episode set the show for more parental shenanigans.

Thank you for reading. Wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

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Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man: “Tangled Web” Review

Published on by SkyeLeave a comment

Skye’s Thoughts

It’s safe to say: I’m hooked on Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. After the previous episode, “Scorpion Rising,” “Tangled Web” complements it perfectly. Considering how heavy and action-packed the previous episode was, this episode is more introspective and patient. As a result, some of the most emotional moments of the series so far came out of this episode.

Peter doubts his abilities as Spider-Man after being put out of commission by Scorpion. It feels genuine and heartbreaking when Peter breaks down in front of Aunt May. That was the closest I’ve come to tearing up in this series so far. I imagine I’ll be bawling when Lonnie passes the point of no return.

Speaking of Lonnie, his progression from lovable meat-head genius to cruel and hardened gang member, has been done believably. Getting him into the 110 in the first place was kinda forced, but now that he’s in it, he’s started embracing the violence. In a way, it reminds me of Walter White’s progression from Breaking Bad. Only much faster. He starts committing criminal acts to protect his family only to eventually realize he loves it and fully surrenders to crime. There are many opportunities for dramatic moments here, and they start with Pearl breaking up with Lonnie. 😦

Norman’s development is the most interesting. In a surprise twist, the creators make us think he’s going to coin a famous Spider-Man phrase, but he spins it. In the process, he reveals his true personality. Instead of saying “With great power comes great responsibility,” he says “With great power comes great respect.” Norman thinks Peter needs to use his powers to make these criminals submit to him, and I’m getting excited about the Green Goblin’s introduction. We already saw the Goblin Glider in the last episode.

I could talk about Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man for pages on end; I love it that much. Also, never once have I skipped the intro. And I never will. There’s a lot that went down in this episode, and plenty I didn’t discuss. Season, what are your thoughts?

Season’s Take

I also liked Norman changing the famous “responsibility” to “respect.” He makes the phrase his own. This is very telling for his character. It’s a very “Norman” thing to say.

Harry played quite the role in “Tangled Web,” acting as Peter’s confidant when he didn’t think he could talk to anyone else. It’s a little on point when Aunt May said she wanted Peter to have a person he could confide in like Uncle Ben. However, I’m digging the exploration of Harry’s character.

Nico takes a back seat in this episode, and that’s warranted. I don’t think there was much they could have done with her in this episode. Pearl and Lonnie breaking up makes me wonder if this will be the catalyst for Pearl becoming Wave in the coming episodes. I kind of hope it’ll happen before the end of Season 1.

We saw him in “Unicorn Unleashed!” as Dmitri Smerdyakov. Today, we saw him as “Chameleon,” dealing as an information broker. I never thought a plain white mask would be so iconic.

Thank you for reading. If you’d like to dive deeper into Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, follow this link for episodes 6, 7, and 8’s Secrets (Easter Eggs).

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Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man: “Scorpion Rising” Review

Published on by SkyeLeave a comment

Skye’s Thoughts

So…things are looking pretty bleak right for the Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man gang. Nico and Peter’s relationship is on the rocks. Pearl just found out Lonnie’s secret. Norman’s second identity is starting to appear. And, to top it all off, Scorpion nearly killed Spider-Man. Despite the huge moment at the end of the episode, I still found myself caring a lot about Peter’s and Lonnie’s social life.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man balances genuine character moments with harsh comic-book action well. I was worried in the last episode that the show wouldn’t be able to deliver on the plot threads it set up. Thankfully, the show is proving me wrong. Now that we’ve had ample time to get to know these characters, their personalities, choices, and struggles are falling into place. Considering this is a superhero story, the social drama is surprisingly fun to watch. In my opinion, because it subtly reveals a lot about Peter’s friends’ backstories.

With Nico, we’ve seen her win an impromptu street race with the help of Harry’s rich car, and her crystal necklace. As someone who’s into crystals and tarot, this speaks to me. Not only that but the way she and Harry have been interacting shows who they are. Harry has a shaky relationship with his father. After learning Norman called Harry to talk for Peter and not his own son, Harry deflates. Nico has a difficult family life too, and the show implies she and Harry would make good friends.

With Lonnie, it’s not looking good. Both he and Pearl got caught up in the Scorpion’s attack on the 110, and this makes me even more excited for what’s to come. I will say, the way Pearl found out Lonnie’s secret was a bit forced. Dre texts her because he somehow knows Pearl’s phone number. I don’t know.

I want to keep talking about this show because it ignites the imagination. If you’d like to discuss the show with us, leave a comment and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. I don’t want to take too long though, so let’s let Season have a turn.

Season’s Take

I agree with Skye that Pearl showing up at 110 did feel a bit forced in the sense of the timing. I think she would have shown up regardless due to her worry for Lonnie and Dre’s being upset with Lonnie for taking “his thing.” She just happened to show up at a violent moment in the show because drama.

I like that Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has, so far, not been as centered on Spider-Man himself as opposed to Spider-Man stories in other mediums. Don’t get me wrong. We see a lot of Spidey. I’m just enjoying the time we get to spend with not just the other characters, but how other characters in the show interpret Spider-Man/Peter Parker. There are moments sprinkled throughout the show of people speaking for Peter when he’s not around (mostly Nico and Harry).

Speaking of Nico and Harry, I thought it was cute watching them become friends naturally. The scene with Nico racing in Harry’s car to stand up for him was one of this episode’s highlights.

I thought Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man was more of a kids’ show at first glance. After watching “Scorpion Rising” through to the end, I’ve changed my tune. I don’t think many kids’ shows have stabbings in them. The Easter egg of Norman Osborn’s Goblin Glider swooping in to save Spidey at the end served as a nice precursor for what’s to come.

Thank you for reading. If you’d like to dive deeper into Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, follow this link for episodes 6, 7, and 8’s Secrets (Easter Eggs).